Golf driving board



May 8. ,1928.

H. H. MEEHAN GOLF' DRIVING BOARD Filed Sept.. 24, 1927" Patented May 8, 19278.

HUGH n. Mannen, or cnrcaeo, rnLmoIs.

com? DRIVING Bonnin.

4 Application led September 24. 1927. Serial No."221,689.

stallation in indoorpractice courts or on the driving f tees of A outdoor fcourses, on which l the player hmay lstand in addressing and driving the"ball, said platformmaving an especiallyconstructed area on which the ball is placed fand 'having thecharacteristics already pointed out. y

A p eferred embodiment of the invention is disclosed in theaccompanyingdrawings, inwhich i u.. Y llFigure 1 isa perspective view ofa `driving board in its preferred form.`` y "Figure 2 "is an enlarged detail viewinf longitudinal `sectionl as taken onv line 2--2 of Figure 1. E l

` Figure 3 is `anerilar, `1;`ed1 top plan view of construction. Y Figure 4 is a detail view in vertical section takenonlline ofiFigure. ligureis a perspective view of oneof the anchorbl'ocks. l i The "device in its preferred form coin-r prises in general a rectangular board or platform l of such dimensions as to `provide suiiicient room on which a player may stand in the execution of thel driving stroke.` vThe platform is] preferably constructed of wood and ycoveredwitha suitablematerial to preventfslipping, such as` rubber or compositionmatting. However, the construction of theboardmayfbe as simple orh as elaborate as desired. i Y y Near lone edge of the platform and extendf ing parallel therewith is a rectangular cavity orfrecess 2, say eighteen" inches long,` six 'inches wideiand one and-.oneshalf inches` in y depthythe ends of the cavity being spaced a footroi-solfrom the sideedges of theplatform.` i

` Lying in this cavity is a rectangular block 3 of @a `resilient material,sponge rubber havingfbeen` found tobe a` very satisfactory materiah `\'1`hethickxiess lef this block is thefdriving-area of the boardshowing its substantially equal to the depth of the cavity 2 although its surface is slightly depressed below the level of the platform. The block 3 has thesame width as Ithe cavity, but is considerably shorter, thus leaving' spaces of several inches between the ends ofthe block 4and the adjacent ends ofthe cavity.

The blockimay be held inplace in any suitable manner, sinceit is intendedto remainfix'ed i therein.

Extending over the block 3 and substantially `tlielength of the cavity is a f strip 4 of flexible material of a suitablekind andl quality, a very satisfactory material being a heavy grade of canvas preferably impregnated with parafne or Wax to give it a smooth surface from kwhichthe club `head will glance more readily on impact.

This strip 4 is substantially the saine width as the cavityV andis stretched lengthwise thereof and anchored-atv each endin the following manner: i i i Both ends of the `strip are securely fastened to blocks `5`5 which lit crosswise and in the spaces between the ends of theresilient` block 3 and the endsv of the cavity, these blocks being slightly less in thickness than the depth of the cavity. A

The strip and anchor `blocks areyassern` bledas a lunit before mounting in the `cavity, v.the following being the preferred method followed;

[The blocks `are provided on their top'faceii` i with a seriesof parallel semicirculargrooves 5f (Figure 5)` extending transversely and space dapart at intervals. Y.The end portions 4f of the strip 4 are then doubled back and under, and laid on the grooved facefof the block, as shown in Figure 2. A'series of rods 6 are thenpla'ced over the end portions of the strip and`- pressed down into the grooves. the latter` being enough greater in diameter to permit the material ofthe strip to enter the grooves. Over the rodsand` the end portions of the strips are then placed metal plates 7-7 of the same area as the top `of the blocks, thesel plates being securely fastened down to the blocks by `rows of screws or bolts 8 either passing entirely through the block as shown, or driven into the blocks. `1n' this manner the anchor plates bear down against the rods 6 which in lOl turn lock the end'portions 4 of the strip securely against displacement, thebolts or screws passing through the strip between the rods and` affording additional anchorage.

AThe blocks,'with `the strip attached, are

: their ends.

then inserted in the cavity,it being noted that the blocks lie beneath the ends of the free intermediate portion of the strip with these bolts are nuts lO-lO which are countersunk in recesses L-b-formed in the inner edge of the anchor blocks. The manifest purpose of these bolts is to draw the strip perfectly tight over the cavity and the block of resilient material beneath and to maintain the same at the desired `degree of tautness, the arrangement of the bolt at each end making it possible to apply tension from the e four corners of the strip.

By reason of the adjustment ofthe. strip, spaces are Inecessarily left between thel anchor blocks and the ends of the cavity. These spaces are preferably covered by strips l1-11 of relatively stiff material, such as sole leather. which are fastened down to the surface of theplatform just beyond each end of the cavity, with their free end portions 'overlying the ends of the strip after the manner of flaps. The free edges of these flaps are preferably beveled so as not to present an edge which might be encountered by the club head in the act of striking a ball, but at the same time, prevent the clubrhead from striking the ends of the anchor blocks in case of a mis-directed swing.

In usingA the driving board, the ball is placed at the center of the strip. usually elevated upon a tee, yand then driven in the usual manner, the club head striking the surface of thestrip as it is swung downwardly into contact with the ball, and by virtue of the resilient block beneath the strip, there is sufficient depression of the surface to permit the club head to get under the ball as is the case when driving from turf. The construction of the device is suchf that the teeing surface is practically indestructible and may be used for' an indefinite period without the Vstrip wearing out. Y

The driving board may be either portable or fastened to the floor when used for indoor play, and for outdoor use would preferably be sunk into the ground to the level of the surrounding turf. Moreovcn for outdoor use the platform need only be large enough to house the parts forming the teeing surface, the player standing .on the ground in addressing and driving the ball.

On the threaded inner ends of Having set forth a preferred embodiment of my invention, I claim:

l. A golf driving board comprising a platform having a cavity in the surface thereof, a block of resilient material mounted in said cavity with its surface substantially .flush with said platform, a layer of flexible material extending over said block, and means for anchoring the ends of said layer to said platform.

2. A Vgolf driving vboard comprising a' platform having arectangular cavity in the surface thereof, a layer of resilient material fitting into said cavity to substantially the depth thereof, anchor 'blocks mounted in said cavity on opposite sides of said resilient material, a strip of flexible material secured at its ends to saidblocks, and means for adjusting said blocks to -place said strip under tension. j c' 3. A golf driving board comprising .1a platform having a rectangular cavity inthe surface thereof, blocks slidably mounted in said cavity adjacent the ends thereof, astrip of flexible material anchored at its ends to said blocks and lying substantially Hush with the surface of said platform, and ad-V justing members mounted in said4 plait-form and connected with said blocks.-

4. A golf'driving board comprisingaplat-4 form-having a relatively shallow cavity in the surface thereof, a block mounted `ad jacent each. end of said cavity, a strip Vof flexible material extending lengthwise of said cavity substantially flush with 'the surface of said platform and anchored at each end to one of said blocks, and adjusting bolts extending edgewise through said platform l and engaging said blocks.

5. A golf drivingboard comprising a platform having a relatively shallow elongated cavity, a strip of flexible material adapted to extend lengthwise of said cavity substantially flush with the surface ofV said platform, a mass of resilient material filling said anchoring the and clamped between said plates and the top faces' of said blocks, rand means for adjusting said blocks lengthwise of said strip for increasing and decreasing the tension thereof. f

7. A golf driving board comprising a platform having a shallow cavity terminating at its ends adjacent opposite sides there- I' clamping plates, the end portions of sai of said strip.

of, a strip of ilexible material adapted to ing `edgewise through said platform and be stretched over said cavity flush with the engaging said blocks, and a body of resilient 10 surface thereof andsIidabIy mounted admaterial mounted in said cavity between jacent the ends of said cavity and includin saidblocks and beneath the central portion strip being doubled under and inwardly and Signed at Chicago, Ill., this 12th day of clamped between said plates and the tcp September, 1927.

faces of said blocks, adjust-ing bolts extend- HUGH H. MEEHAN 

